State of Ohio Archives: on Families & Children

Jon Husted:
American family is broken without two loving parents

On schools: "I got two parents who loved me, taught me good values and prepared me for life. If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't have much of an opportunity," Husted said of his adoptive parents. "There's no better instrument
of education than two loving parents who give a great upbringing to a child and get them launched into life with some hope," he said. "Problem is, we have so many who won't, or can't. The American family today is probably as broken as it has ever been."

Source: Toledo Blade on 2018 Ohio gubernatorial race
May 23, 2017

John Kasich:
CATCH court: prostitutes are victims of human trafficking

All these ladies are coming into Judge Paul Herbert's court. He's checking them out and putting them all in jail. They find out they've been human trafficked. They're prostitutes because they have a pimp who is out there putting them out on the street.
Drugging them, beating them, all horrible things we can imagine. So the judge is the founder and driving force in Franklin County's CATCH court. Changing Actions to Change Habits. He began to realize that these people were not criminals.
They were not defendants--they were victims. And they should not be subjected to criminal punishment from which they may never recover. His CATCH court diverts these victims into a two-year program that may include residential detox therapy, treatment
for depression and other mental illness, and they can get help to find employment. And best of all, when they graduate, they have the opportunity to have their convictions dismissed and their records sealed. He has helped 200 women get assistance.

Source: 2017 Ohio State of the State address
Apr 5, 2017

P.G. Sittenfeld:
Fight for the right to paid sick days

When employees are required to work more than 40 hours per week, I agree with President Obama that employers should be required to pay time and a half wages--and I will seek more generous child care assistance for parents who want to work but can't
afford the sky-high costs of quality day care.

I will also fight for the right of full-time workers to earn a set number of paid sick days each year. Right now,
America is the only major industrialized country that does not require employers to provide paid sick days. Well, I say that if all those other countries can do it without hurting their economies, we can too.

And when I become a Senator, I won't rest until paid sick days become a reality--not just in Ohio, but for hard-working people all across America.

Lee Fisher:
Wrote Ohio's Missing Children law & Clearinghouse

When expecting their first child, Lee and his wife saw a TV show about the disappearance of a little boy. As a state legislator, Lee was disturbed to learn that Ohio had a better system for tracking missing cars than missing children. So he worked to
write Ohio's Missing Children law, which helps to prevent kidnappings and find missing children.

As Attorney General, he created the first-ever children's protection section and established Ohio's Missing Children Clearinghouse. He also created the
Rapid Response Team to assist with the local prosecution of child abusers. Another program, "Project Safe Schools," was established to combat violence in schools through education, mediation, and intervention.

As the head for seven years of the
Center for Families and Children, Lee advocated for children, youth, adults and families throughout Northeastern Ohio. Lee made child care and early childhood education, responsible fathering, and programs for at-risk youth his top priorities.